Do you breathe like a stressed person?

Happy Monday!!!

How is your Monday treating you so far? 

Here is a quick reminder to pause and Just breathe…

Did you know that how you breathe influences how you feel? 

Shallow breathing triggers your sympathetic nervous system, also known as your body's "fight or flight" response. Luckily, breathing deeply and slowly has the opposite effect -- turning on your parasympathetic nervous system, or "rest and digest" mode.

And guess what? Most of us are shallow breathers because we are stressed, and stress is everywhere. 

This will be your new favorite hack. 

There is a simple way to shortcut the stress response in less than a minute. Can you guess what it is? Take a few extra slow, conscious, deep breaths before you put food in your mouth.

It’s all about oxygen. It’s about breathing. Every brain state, every emotional state, has a corresponding brainwave pattern and breath pattern. 

The breathing pattern of stress is shallow, arrhythmic, and infrequent, while the breathing pattern of relaxation is regular, rhythmic, and deep.  Deep breathing is the quickest way to reduce stress hormone levels and increase mental focus.

Not only does relaxation fuel digestion, but it literally burns calories. When we relax, we create amazing changes in the body. Often, our weight gain is chemical in nature. 

Some of the most noxious, toxic, and problematic chemicals we experience don’t come from the outside; they don’t come from food, but they’re the chemicals we self-produce. One such chemical is cortisol, which we produce from stress. 

Yes, it is about the diet; yes, it is about what we eat, and it’s also about how we’re living, how we’re thinking, and how we’re being. 

Let’s set a challenge for this week: Reconnect with your breath. By doing so, you'll be taking a significant step towards enhancing your mental clarity and focusing on the present moment. Are you up for it? 

The workbook includes examples of different breathwork techniques and links to guided breathwork videos. So, remember to check them out HERE.

Follow me on Instagram this week, where I will share lots of my favorite tools and examples of how to incorporate conscious breathing into your everyday life… (This means learning to make it a habit and new things take practice.)

Consider this practice a valuable addition to your daily routine. 

Take charge of your mental state, find clarity, and cultivate peace through your newfound breathwork ritual.

Wishing you a beautiful week this week.

Make a plan to add a little more Vitamin O (Oxygen) to your day today.